Dr. Steven J. Rizzolo

Dr. Rizzolo was extremely helpful! One of the best I have ever been to. Living life pain free now!

Dr. Rizzolo fixed a pinched nerve in my back in 2011. It completely resolved the problem.

I had a compressed nerve and herniated disc at C-4/5 and not a whole lot of room around my spinal cord (no CSF) due to a bulging disc and stenosis at C-5/6. Rizzolo told me not to lift more than 5 to 10 pounds, absolutely do not have any physical therapy, and get those vertebrae either fused or replaced as soon as possible (I am only 38 years old). I saw 2 more doctors who both told me that physical therapy would be extremely helpful. As far as work/lifting goes, I should let pain and discomfort be my guide to set limits. For the disc and nerve at C-4/5 there is a far less invasive surgery that is very successful and long lasting if it ever bothers me again (physical therapy has managed the problem very well). As for the issue at C-5/6, the recommendations from the other two doctors are to continue with life as normal minus any activities that could cause sudden trauma to my neck
(like snowboarding, skydiving, and hanging drywall) until I start to show any symptoms of compression on my spinal cord of which I have yet to experience. At that point and only at that point will I need to start considering fusion or replacement at the C-5/6 level. Needless to say, I would never recommend Rizzolo to anyone. I am so glad I went and got a few more opinions!! Rizzolo only prescribed hydrocodon for the pain when it has been shown to do very little for this kind of nerve pain. There are many drugs out there that deal with compressed nerves much more effectively.

I was in a indecent involving a car but not a car wreck. I went to Rizzolo and he did an ex ray...no MRI. I had neck pain and numbness to the left side of my arm and face. He sent me to a physical therapist not knowing what was actually wrong!!! One of the physical therapist hurt my neck. When I went back to DR. Rizzolo and told him about my numbness in the left side of my face he was soooo rude! he said "IT'S ABOVE MY PAY GRADE" ..well I went to a doctor in Las Vegas where the accident happened and the doctor was so terrific! I had an MRI and I have several bulging and herniating discs. DO NOT GO TO RIZZOLO!!!!!

The man had his opinion before he walked in the door, made his decision after looking at one set of exrays , said he agreed with the MRI when he gave different diagnosis, and I overhead him discussing my case with the girls in the reception when I came out of the room! Otherwise it felt the same as 20 years ago as if he didn't like me being on National Healthcare ( because I was hurried through and I felt that he did not want to be there ! ) His decision left a lot of questions and no real answers! I don't recommend him unless you possibly really need nerve pain help!